Make Me
by kireiscorner
Summary: You never see the other side unless its staring you in the face, but the war is over, and over a year later, Xeris is in the process of rebirth. The war weighs heavily on those who have lost, and Princess Talia is no exception. Her only escape is the Royal Gardens. And she just had to assign its care to the dorkiest of the twins...
1. Where Angels Fear to Tread

A/N: Just a friendly reminded that while originally, in LoliRock, their canon ages are fifteen for Iris and Auriana and sixteen for Talia, with the twins being unstated, but known to be in the same age range as the princesses. For this fic, because its post-Gramorr's Reign, and a year after his defeat, I've aged them up a bit. Iris, Auriana, and Carissa are seventeen, the twins, Lyna and Talia are eighteen, and Izira is around her late twenties to early thirties considering she was a teen when Xeris was attacked.

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Chapter 1: The Only Remedy

The soft foamy clouds swayed against the teal Ephedia skyline as the people of Xeris buzzed about, the afternoon alive with the rebirth of a nation. It had been nearly a year since the defeat of Gramorr, and a good while since the reconstruction of the great kingdom of Xeris began. With the loss of the majority of the royal family, it was the King's uncle that was offered the throne, but he instantaneously relieved his duties and appointed Izira as the new head of the family; after all, she played a major role in bringing together many nations in the resistance, and had proved herself an great leader; the decision was unanimous. Talia, herself, was assigned to lead the reconstruction. Izira would be working in their new government with the other kingdoms, and with their uncle on exhibitions to collect the artifacts and texts lost in the invasion, the duty fell to the young princess. Though she would much rather spend her time helping with training their warriors or teaching, she supposed she had a duty to her people, and she secretly relished in the idea of being appointed as the Royal Architect of the only downside - working with the enemy.

At Gramorr's defeat, many of his allies aligned themselves with the resistance, and aided in his defeat by Princess Iris and the rest of her team. Many opted to leave and build their own kingdom, while some faced justice and were sent to prison. Others decided to move to the more accepting kingdom of Volta; others, the small group that opted to do physical work in order to get their sentence over with quicker, agreed to help resurrect Xeris, but those involved in its destruction were denied service. Interestingly enough, there were many Xerin people available to help, and groups from Borealis to Calix were aiding them as well, but a good handful were those who fell under the spell of power that dark magic offered. Two of them she couldn't wait for them to leave.

"Talia?"

"Hm?" The bluenette looked from her book and paused in her writing to glance in her sister's direction. It was a relief to finally see her well and out of her battle gear. The queen's royal blue robes and golds enveloped her in a new sense of authority, and her snow white locks were pinned back into a regal braid, the loose strands soft and curling at her waist.

Izira chuckled at her studious sister, "I said how are the girls doing?"

"Oh! Um, so far so good. They're glad to be back, but a lot of times they miss Earth. I miss it sometimes too, but not as much as I missed it here when I was there. Iris is taking to it a bit easier, but she grew up there, so it's a bit harder on her with these new responsibilities and she misses her friends…" Talia frowned, thinking back on the blonde, "Though she's glad to know her parents, to be with them, I know she wants to go back. Especially since she promised Nathaniel she would."

"Nathaniel? Was that the brown haired boy from before?" Izira smiled, walking towards the balcony of the room overlooking the garden.

"Yeah. They're kind of in love." Talia laughed, continuing her writing, "As if it weren't obvious."

"Sometimes love isn't obvious, you know?" Izira eyed her little sister in curiousity.

"Yeah, but these two were ridiculous." Talia chuckled, shaking her head.

"It's understandable why she'd want to go back, I suppose...Did you leave anyone behind?" Izira's violet eyes peered at the princess in question, a soft smile playing at her lips.

"Not really. I mean, I did have a guy I liked, but not enough to stay on Earth. I had a mission to carry out and falling in love was never a part of it, so I didn't." Talia shrugged, turning a page in her spell book.

"Do you wish you had?" Izira questioned, pausing to water the ruby flowers that hung against the walls.

"Nope. I've still got a lot of work to do. Besides, there are more important things than meeting a guy on a distant planet or kingdom, and it's a big hassle to work with anyways." Talia commented, her golden orbs trailing expertly as she wrote.

"Speaking of a big hassle…" Izira frowned, leaning over the balcony. Talia laid down her pencil and walked over to the marble railing, letting out an annoyed groan as a familiar mop of red violet caught her eye.

"Can I see that for a minute?" Talia glared down at the worker, holding out her hands to receive her sister's crystal watering can. Though questionable, Izira handed her the can, which the princess quickly emptied over the railing onto the unsuspecting ex-con. Talia gave a satisfied smirk at his yelp as the cold water hit his skin, and he rose from his slumber to wipe his emerald eyes. He looked up at them, startled, and glared at the cocoa colored sisters. Content with her decision and ignoring the astonished but amused look from her sister, the younger Xerin dusted off her hands and excused herself to have a talk with their slacker. Izira shook her head, smiling before moving to retrieve a fresh pale of water.

Talia made her way down the front steps of the palace. It was remodeled to look as it originally had, as the whole castle had not fallen under Gramorr's hand. She had more than enough to do, and now the twins were adding to it. Well, at least one twin. Praxina liked to whine and complain, and if she skipped out, she was rather difficult to find, but Mephisto was another story. He would outright lounge about the castle and sleep on the job; whenever she tried to reason with him, he would argue against her, and not only was he stubborn, his arguments were so stupid, it made her angry. She wasn't sure if he did it to merely spite her, or if he was really that much of a moron. Though he couldn't be all that much of an incompetent fool; anyone able to use the Ancient Ephedian Spellbook had to have a lick of sense, and great understanding of magic. A conundrum, that's what he was; a talented idiot.

"What the hell happened to you?" Praxina teleported in front of her brother, her dark magical outfit replaced by a deep blue and white jumpsuit. Her magical gem had been confiscated, as had the majority of war criminals and held by the royal court. Those who finished their sentences or left the existing kingdoms would receive theirs with their departure.

"Two words. Evil. Princesses." Mephisto glared, pushing back his bangs. His jumpsuit clinged to his body, darkening with the water splashed across his torso, "Freakin' classic. Why's it always me?!"

"Probably because you're always slacking off, stupid!" Praxina made a swift slap to the back of his head, eliciting a yelp from the younger twin.

"Oh, yeah, everything's my fault." Mephisto growled, rubbing at the knot forming at the back of his head.

"Everything literally is your fault! Let's go to Xeris, it'll be faster. Let's agree to give up out gems, we'll get them back later. Let's take break, no one will ever know! Let's sneak into the vault and try to get our gems back, we won't get caught and GET EXTRA DUTY FOR THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS!" Praxina screeched, levitating as her claws dug into the front of his shirt.

"Okay, true, but now we get extra bonding time!" Mephisto grinned, removing his sister's hands, "Hey! Wait, sneaking into the vault was your idea, Praxina!"

"Mephisto, they separated us! I have to work in the city while you get to work here!" Praxina stomped her foot, her expression falling into a distressed one.

"Well, you can thank the boss for that one…" Mephisto grumbled, pulling down the top half of his uniform and ringing it out.

"MEPHISTO!"

"Speak of the she-devil…" Mephisto groaned, wincing at the sharp tone of voice.

"Ugh, what does she want?" Praxina frowned, an unamused look on her face.

"Probably to throw water on the next witch she finds." Mephisto chuckled, earning a glare from his sister. Suddenly, her dark blue eyes grew wide and she quickly teleported away. Mephisto grinned at his sister's departure, but a heavy feeling of loneliness quickly replaced her presence. They had always been together, no matter what they did, and while they weren't creepy close like Zeinos and Deinos, they were pretty on point with each other most of the time. They kept each other out of trouble, and protected each other no matter what. Their decisions, their lifestyles, everything they connected through. It was down right weird to be away from Prax. She was always the leader; the mature one; the better half; now he had to survive in this crystal crap hole without her.

"Mephisto!"

The boy cringed, rolling his eyes as he turned to offer an over dramatic bow, "Your gracious gracefulness!"

Talia crossed her arms, unamused, "One, quit slacking off, two, why aren't you properly wearing your uniform?"

"Well, somebody's gotta keep the masses happy. Also, because some crazy lady with blue hair threw water on me a couple minutes ago. You can't take a solid lunch break when you're soaked to the bone, you royal bossiness." He scowled at her, crossing his arms to mirror her. She processed over his response, her eyes going wide slightly, and her lips twitching in realisation.

"Well, you weren't eating. How do I know you're really on break?" She lifter her chin, eying him skeptically.

"Not everyone eats on their breaks. What are you, the lunch break police?"

"Head of Reconstruction." She smirked, and a tinge of red hit his cheeks.

"Please tell me this is a joke. You? You're actually like, literally my boss?"

"Yep." She cocked her head a bit, "Weren't you calling me 'boss' just a minute ago?"

"Yeah, but it was in a mean kind of way, like you're bossy, not the actual boss-boss!" He threw his arms up in exasperation, and the gown clad beauty nearly laughed at his antics, but he had insulted her in the long run.

"Just get back to work!" She frowned, her hands unfolding and shooting downward into fist, "And quit calling me bossy!"

"Yes, Princess Talia, sir!" He saluted, a playful grin on his face, "Oh. And if you're the boss-boss, you should know when we go on breaks. That's your job. Might want to work on that!"

Growling in irritation, she turned on her heels and headed towards the front steps. She hated having him here. Praxina would at least not talk to her. Mephisto, on the other hand, couldn't keep his mouth shut. While he was well liked by those in his clan and even tolerable to some of the castle staff, she found him the most grading. He was constantly asking questions about artifacts he had to clean, or how to do his job. She could have a list to wrap around all of Ephedia if she wrote down every question she was asked because of him, most of them obvious or pointless. And he never took anything seriously! If they weren't in a time of peace, she'd punch the grin right off his face, but he wore it everyday and she wondered how Gramorr put up with him for so long.

Stomping back to her desk, ignoring Izira's watchful eye, she set back to her work.

"So, how'd it go?"

"I hate him."

"Hate's a pretty strong word, Talia." Izira giggled, cocking her head playfully.

"HATE. HIM." Talia gritted out, her grip on her pen tightening.

"Well, then, I guess you should avoid the gardens for a little while, then." Izira shrugged, a smile on her face, irking her little sister's very nerve. She knew very well the garden acted as Talia's escape from her duties, where she went to read, write, and sing. It was her personal playground on the castle grounds and the last thing Talia wanted was to have it invaded by purple haired dorks.

"Izira! No!"

"Overruled." Izira grinned, a light sweetness to her tone.

"Did I mess up? Is this because I forgot to lock the stables again?" Talia frowned, closing her book and crossing her arms.

"No, Talia. It's to teach you a valuable lesson." Izira made her way over to the table to take a seat, pouring herself a cup of tea, "It's going to be difficult for many people on Ephedia to come to terms with the war and it being over, which can lead to difficulties such as discrimination and violence against those that our people don't see eye to eye with at the time. They're going to look to us as an example. I don't like Mephisto and Praxina either, but at the same time, we have to consider their position and state of mind, as well as how to adjust and evolve from all that went down. We may have been on different sides, but we all just want to make it the best we can, and that comes with sacrifice on all sides. Understand?"

"Ugh, stop. You're too good at being a queen." Talia laughed, a deep sigh passing from her lips.

"Just try to be civil while on the job, 'kay. No matter how-"

"Stupid?" Talia raised an amused brow at her sister.

"-he can be, he's still a person, and he wants a better life just like we all do. Try to see the man behind the monster, okay?" Izira offered an encouraging hug, "I've got a meeting to head out to; be good!"

Talia smiled, waving at her sister as she disappeared from view. A deep scowl overtook her features as she mulled over the fact that there was a snake in her garden. Of all the people to make an example out of, her beloved sister had to pick him. She cringed as his voice echoed through her mind, 'Princess Talia' ringing through her head and causing her to shiver. She be damned if he thought he could take over her home. The gardens were her remedy, and oh, she was going to let him know it. She rebelled against him before, she'd do it ten times over now.

As she made her way down the corridor, her spellbook held tightly in her hands, she smirked as each guard she passed stiffened in her presence. No one dared to slack off in front of her. Despite her undying love and duty to her people, many viewed her as cold, independent, and powerful. Many said that while Izira was the crowned Queen of Xeris, it was Talia who was more often considered the queen; or to be more accurate, the Ice Queen of , it did hurt, it honestly bothered her rather deeply, but there'd be plenty of time to gain the love of her people later on. Her aid in Gramorr's defeat earned her the highest of honors all over Ephedia, and her friendships encouraged the idea of her being an affectionate leader among comrades so casually friendly with their people. That was a skill she seemed to lack, but then again, she was raised by the war. She had lost her family, her main influence in her small world at a young age, and her separation from Izira and constant training as a refugee left a dark stain on her innocent state of mind. She was only eighteen and already she had seen more war than a majority of princesses her age. She did the training, she studied the spells, she fought the battles, and she won. And now there was another battle to be fought…

"Hey, Mephisto!"

The startled young sorcerer yelped as he fell backwards off a ladder, his arms flailing before he landed with a hard thump. Sighing her glared up at her, "Your Royal Loudmouth?"

Talia rolled her eyes, "Look, if you're going to be in charge of the Royal Gardens you need to make sure it's up to parr with my standards."

"Oh really? And if I don't?" Mephisto grinned, his arrogance evident in his tone.

"I could always switch you over to the medical field. Or kitchen duty. Sanitation. Combat dummy." Talia gave a half-lidded smile, crossing her arms.

"Ugh. Fine. Have it your way. It's just a stupid garden." He shrugged, re-adjusting the ladder.

"IT IS NOT JUST A STUPID GARDEN!" Talia yelled, throwing her book to the grassy floor. He stared at her in awe, shocked by the anger that flowed from her. Her eyes widened, and she turned away from him, taking a seat and letting out a shaking breath. She took to fiddling with the skirt of her dress, rather than looking to him. She jumped as her book was held out to her, covered in dirt and a bit of grass. She quickly took it from him, but opted not to meet his eyes.

"Wow. I think that's the most emotion I've seen from you. I mean, I've seen you pretty ticked before, like that one time we trapped your boyfriend, and when Prax burned your sister's medallion, and then there was that one time-"

"I get it!" She growled, glaring at him as she climbed the ladder again. Embarrassed by another outburst, she covered her mouth. He stared at her a good while, an eyebrow raised out of curiosity.

"Well, I guess you're a little less scary than Praxina…" He shrugged, using his shears to chop away at an overgrown bush. Talia's frown softened a bit, and she picked away at the strands of green that covered her book. He looked to her again, "So, are you going to just sit there and bore me or are you going to tell me why this place is so important?"

"That's none of your business…" Talia closed her eyes solemnly as she wiped off the cover with her skirt.

"Well, I did just get yelled at for it." Mephisto grumbled, looking back at her.

"Well, that's your problem then." Talia stood, holding the book to her chest.

"Wow, you really are as cold as they say. How did you get paired with someone like Auriana?" Mephisto sneered, turning back to chop at the greenery.

Her grip on her book tightened, and she finally turned to look at him in the eye, "This is my personal solace. I come here because this is where my mother and my father use to have lunch with Izira and I. It was beautiful. Until Gramorr and his goons came and destroyed everything. Ruined everything; took away everything; forced me into a life I never wanted for their own selfish gain! Do you even know what it's like to have your life taken from you? You treated the war like it was a game. You, and your sick sister!"

She hadn't counted on it, but he had made his way down the ladder, and she had marched right up to him, inches from him, gold burning into a darkening emerald. She was yelling, so very undignified, but it felt so good to say it to his face.

"It was a game." He frowned, taking a step forward, "But not one we always cared to play. Gramorr's idea of a game was not the same as anyone else's. You think that only your people have suffered, and you think there is justice in imprisoning and deporting mine."

"They chose to go!"

"Not everyone. But with leaders like you, can you blame them? We're the same age. You, me, and Prax. The only difference is that my family chose a different path. Prax and I got dragged into it, and took the route that would guarantee our lives. Do you know what it's like being raised by Gramorr and his followers. Can you imagine the darkness we lived in? Trust me, princess, you are not the only one who lost something in this war!" He glared down at her, chest heaving as he finished, his shoulders shaking in a fury unfamiliar to her.

"Why are you here?" Her voice was trembling as he stood before her, the heat of his anger enveloping her and her breath hitched as the grip on her book loosened.

"I've got a lot of red in my ledger. Rebuilding Xeris will free Prax and I from the bondage of war and the name of Gramorr. Don't worry, we intend to leave as soon as possible."

Pain. There was a mix of pain and regret in his eyes that caught her off guard. It was foreign, but all the more recognizable; startling; open. Her book slipped from her hands, and she made no move to stop it.

"How do you fight it?" The whisper was nearly desperate, pleading, and her eyes searched for an answer in the pools of evergreen.

"I stopped fighting." He knelt down and picked up the book, swallowing heavily as he stood, holding it out to her and looking away, his cheeks flushing as he looked back to the garden. She took the book in her hands, hugging it to her chest. He nodded to himself, before casting a glance at her before re-climbing the ladder. Talia took it as her cue to leave, her purpose for coming disintegrated by his inner turmoil and her own shame. They were more similar than she had counted on. Regaining a more regal posture, she headed towards the castle.

"You know, we didn't really interact all too much before. I can't say I know everything about you, but they're wrong. You're wrong."

Talia froze, turning to look at her accuser.

"If you can shed a tear for your enemy, you're kinder than all of Ephedia." He smiled at her, and her eyes widened. She lifted her hand to her cheek, amazed at the dampness rolled down her cheeks.

A new view came into light; an honest smile outshined a sea of false grins; a trail of tears shed immeasurable understanding; the Ice Queen found a prince with a blackened heart; a woman met a man who had seen the beauty of a world turned against them both, and the sincerity of it all shook them to the core.

She slowly backed out of the garden and fled to the steps of the palace, eager to change out of her pearl white gown covered in hues of brown from the dirt of the garden; he was left to sit in the grass to collect his thoughts, and drifted into a much desired slumber.

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A/N: Hope I sparked a little curiosity over where this is headed! R&R! Feedback is always welcomed! Flaming, however, is not!


	2. A Place I Used to Know

_**Sorry for taking so long everyone! Enjoy! :)**_

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It had been a rather rough two days.

For the past couple days, she avoided the outdoors, the family gardens, she had even had her servants remove the plants from outside her doors. She figured she had embarrassed herself enough, and the fact that she had been bested by Mephisto had her on the rocks. Izira had questioned her on her lack of enthusiasm, especially when she informed her of Iris and the girls visiting to see the new developments on the city. Talia had offered a mere, "Oh. Good."

She marked it off to her sister as being tired, but she knew deep down it was shame. The worst part was that he had been right. He had basically figured out what she had failed to learn; the exact point her own sister had been trying to teach her. She had been so busy dwelling on her own pain, on her own kingdom, she hadn't thought of everyone else. Her own people had lost nearly everything because of Gramorr. What had he lost?

She didn't know.

She didn't know where he was from, who his parents were, any of it. And she knew mostly everything! Groaning, the young princess turned over in her bed, pulling the sheets over her head. Had he lost his family too? Or was he abandoned as a child? Maybe his family was evil; he had mentioned it was an inherited job. There were so many questions...

TAP!

Talia opened her eyes, rubbing away her slumber. Was it all a dream? She wished so much that it was.

TAP!

She rose, alert, and gazed towards the doors of her balcony. The glass doors were coated in elegant golden swirls that offered streams of light to shine into the darkness of her bedroom. She looked around, but the room was empty.

TAP!

She paused, looking towards the balcony as another knock hit the crystal encased doors. Cautiously, she slid from the bed, her silk white and blue satin night dress trailing behind her as she crossed the room. Her brows furrowed, and with a deep breath, she flung open the doors.

CLUNK!

The princess winced as she was brained by some foreign object, dead center of her forehead. She let out a yelp at its impact, her hands nursing the spot as she let out a string of curses. Who the hell was throwing...Mulberry Nut? She stared at the fruit before shaking her head to clear her thoughts.

 _'What the hell?_ _ **Who**_ _the hell?'_

Talia marched over to the ledge, leaning over the balcony to see Mephisto, standing at the edge of the garden below her room. She barely had time to react when he threw another, shielding herself with her magic.

"Mephisto!"

The man in question jumped at her voice, finally noting her arrival. He quickly hid the tiny fruit in his hand behind his back, waving sheepishly.

"Mephisto! It's what, six in the morning? Can you not?!"

"What?!"

"I said 'Stop!'"

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU! SPEAK LOUDER!"

"I SAID- ugh, just HOLD ON! Crystal Scala!"

Her magic began to smooth over, creating a smooth path. Mephisto raised an eyebrow, confused by her actions. Rolling her eyes, she leaped from the balcony, sliding down the path with expert precision. Or at least, she thought so. She hadn't completely taken into consideration where she would land, and with Mephisto being his usual self, decided the perfect spot to wait for her was in front of her landing spot. She flew into him with crushing speed, sending them both rolling across the stone path leading into the garden.

Mephisto groaned, rubbing his head, "Okay, ow. You know, you're lucky the grass here is so plush and soft, otherwise I'd-Talia? Hey, where'd you-"

"Remove your hand or lose it!"

Mephisto screeched as he removed his hand from her bottom, falling off his cushion, or rather, Talia. She quickly stood, dusting off her gown.

"Uh, s-sorry! Do you do that often? You seemed pretty experienced escaping from way up there."

"We will _never_ speak of this." Talia narrowed her eyes at him and he gulped, nodding enthusiastically.

"Right! What's there to speak of?" His cheeks tinted and Talia, crossed her arms. She was certain the amount of times she rolled her eyes at him in the past few minutes alone could break some sort of record.

"What were you doing near my balcony, and why on Ephedia were you throwing Mulberry nuts at me?!"

"That's what these are? I thought they were pebbles." Mephisto squinted at the nut as if it had lied to him.

Talia sighed, extending her hand, "It's not a rock. It's just a type of nut indigenous to Xeris. It only grows here in the northern part of the kingdom. You found these in the garden, correct?"

Mephisto nodded, but he looked uncomfortable.

"They're edible."

She tossed it back to him, and almost smiled at the way it bounced off his forehead and into his hands. He winced, and glared at her, and she smirked in response. Payback's a bitch.

"How the hell do you eat these when they're harder than crystal?" Mephisto frowned, holding up the fruit.

Talia's lips twitched with amusement, "Put it in your mouth."

"What?"

"Put it in your mouth and suck on it."

"No way, you do it." Mephisto held it out to her, "You won't trick me into doing something stupid."

"Mephisto, trust me, I wouldn't have to trick you for you to do something stupid." Talia argued, taking the nut from him. She held it up for him to see before popping it in her mouth. Her eyes clenched shut at the sour, tangy taste that tickled her taste buds. Her jaw became sore as the nut's hard shell began to soften and melt away, a new found sugary sweetness mixing with the zesty flavor. She giggled as the center became chewable and the berry-flavored kernel within burst with flavor.

She swallowed, smiling at the taste, "Wow. I had forgotten how good those were...it's been so long since I had a Mulberry..."

Mephisto cocked his head, pulling another from his pocket and looking at it nervously.

"Don't be such a baby, Mephisto, try it!" Talia encouraged, and with a hard swallow, he put it in his mouth. "Don't chew it! You'll break a tooth. Wait until it starts to taste sweet."

Mephisto raised his eyebrows at the excessively sour flavor, and as his face twisted at the taste, Talia laughed outright. He looked at her as if she had been in cahoots with the nut, and she bit her lip at his accusatory expression. He suddenly straightened, and her small smile grew into a full blown grin.

"Whoa!" He smiled, finally chewing on the center, "That's insane! It's so sweet!"

Talia nodded, "These were my father's favorites. My mom use to scold him over sneaking them to us at night before bed..."

"Really? Sound's like something I would do." Mephisto chuckled, tilting his head in thought.

"Hm. Mother hated it 'cause father would always bite into them to early. He broke three of his molars on them one day when we..." She paused, her brows furrowing as she swallowed. Mephisto's lip twitched at the unusual expression.

"When what?"

"Nothing. What did you call me here for?" Talia frowned, her eyes distant as her memories were pushed back.

"I, um, kind of need your help."

Talia scoffed, "You want _my_ help. The irony."

"Yeah, well, I don't know anybody else here! Not really. Everyone kind of avoids me and I've never done this before. Prax and I aren't exactly the most like people in the world. Isn't that what you do? You help people?" Mephisto scowled, crossing his arms. They were doing fine for a minute, but once again she turned on him in a heartbeat. It was as if she was incapable of acting normally.

"Mephisto, unless your problem has something to do with your daily tasks, I can't help you." Talia crossed her arms, walking past him towards the palace.

"So glad you say that, Princess, because it just so happens that it does. Seeing as _I_ have been assigned to care for the Royal Gardens, I'm responsible for figuring out what exactly will be planted in said garden, and I need to go over that with the Head of Reconstruction, aka, _you_." Mephisto smirked down at her, and her eyes widened as her face became hot. He had gotten her into a corner, and he knew it.

Groaning, Talia slowly turned to glare at him, "Fine. Lead the way."

Mephisto grinned, walking into the garden, and with a roll of her eyes, she followed reluctantly. The walk was silent, and they could both feel the uncomfortable aura emanating between them. It hadn't been too long since their yelling match in the garden; barely a few days since he had forced her to see him as a victim. It didn't make any sense to her. She was certain he only served Gramorr out of simple enjoyment over wreaking havoc on those lower than him, but he had made his employment seem like so much more. There was so much pain in those bright eyes, so much regret. It made her feel so small; so guilty for celebrating her victory in some way she had never felt before.

"So...um, do you know much about the plants here? I mean, in Xeris?" Mephisto asked, looking a bit out of place.

"Yes, don't you?" Talia arched an elegant brow, looking at him with confusion.

"Not a clue." Mephisto grinned, "I mean, some of the plants grow back home, but I never really took care of them. All of this is pretty new to me. We never really got to come to Xeris growing up. Our parents did, but...well, we never came around."

"You're parents use to come to Xeris often?" Talia's eyes widened with surprise, but he merely shrugged.

"Yeah, so, anyways," he walked over to the bench under a large tree as they entered the heart of the garden, "They gave me this checklist so I could figure out what seeds need to be ordered. I don't recognize any of these names and there are no pictures. Do you recognize any of these plants?"

Talia took the clipboard from him, looking over the list before nodding, "Come on, I'll show you which ones are which. At least I can tell you of the ones I remember. We can figure out the rest later."

Mephisto smiled, running after her as she came to the bushes surrounding the center. She inspected the leaves, eying the rosy berries decorating the bushes before nodding with decision.

"These are called Ethermints. They're usually used for medicines and cooking." She pricked one leaf off, breaking it into two pieces, popping one in her mouth and offering him the other half. He ate it much quicker than the Mulberry, and she took it as a small sign of trust. At least he was willing to learn.

"Huh! Minty."

"Exactly. This one's pretty easy, so try not to forget it. That sweet, crisp smell is coming from them. They surround this place because our family usually uses it for gatherings. It keeps it smelling pleasant."

Mephisto nodded, eying the bush before following her out to another branch of the garden. She paused before pointing at a white lily with a violet center, "These are Lace Flowers. They're usually used to cure, well, they're for women. Their oils are typically used to relieve pain and numb during childbirth. They're toxic if you ingest them."

"Oh. But they're so pretty!"

"Pretty can be dangerous, Mephisto."

"So I've learned." Mephisto gave her a knowing smile, and she opened her mouth to respond, but found herself unable to do so. She turned away quickly, ignoring the way her stomach twisted at the comment. He had been facing multiple princesses, of course he knew that. It was definitely off handed, nothing more.

"See that green and yellow spotted one with the violet bulbs growing behind it?" Talia pointed, and Mephisto cocked his head before nodding. "That's Ambrosia Srianna. It's commonly used to stop headaches and pain. The sky blue berries on the bushes are called Egress Thistles. They're used in pastes to stop bleeding, but you have to be careful when you pick them, because the leaves have little spindles that can numb if you get poked or cut."

"I'll try not to do that."

"Good luck with that." Talia snorted, putting her hands on her hips.

"Hey, I can be careful."

Talia just laughed, walking around the plants, "Sure you can. Those over there are Bitterweed, used in medications and potions to soathe sore throat, toothache, that kind of thing. Over here we have Twisted Poppies, they're used for nerve pain; Ash Tongue are the grey and orange ones, we use them for most medications, they're like anti-inflammatories, and Blizyum, the white blossoms in the trees with the navy blue tips, are used for when you're low on magic. They're a natural source of magical energy, but if not prepare properly, they can kill you through swelling of the tongue and throat."

Mephisto gulped, "That sounds...yikes..."

"There's more here, but those are the ones I can remember in this section. This is the section of the garden where our healers come to gather ingredients for the family and for staff. Further this way, I'll show you one of my favorite parts on the other side." Talia grinned, grabbing his wrist and dragging him back across the garden. He took the moment to look around, noting on the small streams that coursed in a decisive pattern throughout the gardens to nurture the plants. He noted the marble fountains and statues he passed and the small bridge they crossed made of graying stones over a stream similar to the other one, but much larger in size. When he had first arrived, everything was covered in black crystal, but he and a couple others worked on removing it all.

"Whoa!" He gaped as they came into the much larger half of the garden, where hundreds of trees full of fruits and rows of plants decorated the ground.

She stopped at a clearing, letting go of him and looking around the orchard, "This is one of the first places cleared out after the war. I'm sure it was a hard clean up the black crystal, but it was worth it in every way. This is where we get all of our fruits and vegetables. Our seasonings come from here too aside from the Ethermint and the Zifrigon Figs."

"Zifrigon Figs? You guys have some? I thought those only grew out in the forests!" Mephisto looked stunned and she smiled proudly.

"Looks like you have a lot to uncover about Xeris. Come on, I haven't eaten yet, and I'm starved." Talia motioned for him to follow her to a set of bushes, "Okay, these are called Inkberries. They-"

"Let me guess. Are used to make ink?" Mephisto grinned, looking to her expectantly.

"Hm, looks like you actually do use that brain of yours. They're usually used for dyes and inks, paints, all that stuff, but when in their raw state, they're very similar to what Eathlings call 'blueberries'. Very sweet." She picked one, tossing it to him, and taking one for herself.

"Mmm! These are awesome! Praxina would totally be into these. She loved blueberries back on Earth, even if she never admitted to it." Mephisto shrugged, popping another berry into his mouth.

"Praxina? To be honest, I always figured she hated everything." Talia chewed thoughtfully, pausing as she swallowed.

"Oh, she does. She just hates some things more than others. She really loved blueberries and strawberries in her smoothies."

"Praxina drinks smoothies?!" Talia laughed, looking at him incredulously.

"Hey, we had lives outside of plotting to destroy you. You guys went to that smoothie place almost every day." Mephisto wiped at his lips, leaning back from his spot on the grass.

"Iris was exceptionally thirsty." Talia smirked before standing and heading over to another plant, crouching and pointing, "Ever had a Zushroom?"

"Um, no? Are those even legal?"

Talia choked with laughter, "Of course they are, they're completely edible. They're some hallucinations possible with the root, which is usually broken off before cooking. Its extremely dry and bitter anyways. It's always cooked before being eaten, as you're more likely to get sick when it's raw but it holds a lot of flavor when it's paired with seasonings like Silver Duscle, which is similar to 'salt' back on Earth, or Spice Blossoms, which are a type of crushed peppers imported from Volta."

"Nice. Spicy foods are my favorite!" Mephisto licked his lips, eying the vibrant ruby peppers she had pointed out, "I dare you to eat one."

"What?"

"I said, 'I dare you to eat one'." His fangs glistened in the sun, now high in the sky. His challenging grin was lopsided, and she was annoyed with his cocky tone.

"I'm not going to eat that. I'm not too big on spicy foods." Talia cringed, eying the peppers.

"Why? Can't handle it?" Mephisto teased, crossing his arms, "You can fight me, but you're scared of a little pepper?"

"It's not that. I just don't want to!" Talia blushed, her cheeks burning with embarrassment as she turned up her nose at him.

"See, you won't even take one bite. You made me try a bunch of strange stuff, but you won't try a Voltan pepper? Talk about lame. Prax was right, you _are_ stiff." Mephisto smirked, lounging next to her.

"I am not!"

"Lame."

"Stop it!"

"Laaaaame."

"Would you cut it out!" Talia growled, smacking at the ground.

"Lame-o!"

"Ugh! Fine!" Talia snapped, grabbing at the pepper and taking a rather large bite. She instantly started to regret it as her face stung and her eyes watered. Voltan peppers were imported because they bred the spiciest in all of Ephedia. Her mother and uncle were fond of them, and in some dishes it was toned down, but never raw. Her throat burned at she began to fan her face, "This was a mistake, this was definitely a mistake!"

Mephisto was too busy rolling on the ground in hysterics, "Oh my god, you actually did it! I can't believe you ate like a whole pepper! Oh geez, wait 'til I tell Prax!"

Talia wiped at her eyes, but they only began to burn more. The more she rubbed at them the more intense the boiling sensation in her eyes erupted. She let out a whimper and he paused in his laughing, noting on the way she let out a sob.

"Uh, Talia? You okay?"

"No you idiot, I can't see! It hurts!" Talia winced , the tears spilling from her eyes as they clenched shut, "I got some of it in my eyes, you ass!"

"Uh oh! That probably hurts."

"Mephisto! Water! Now!" Talia cried, trying to stand, but she stumbled over. She let out a gasp as a pair of hands caught her, lifting her up off her feet. She could feel the wind blowing against her body before being encased in magic. Black Magic. She suddenly felt afraid; she had become vulnerable in front of someone who had attacked her and her friends on multiple occasions, and now he had her right where he needed her to destroy her. She was about to call out for help when she felt her body encased in a welcoming cool. She gasped as she came up for air, the icy water of the stream they had crossed cooling her body as she struggled to stand.

"Just stay still, will you!" Mephisto grabbed her wrist, holding her on place.

"Let go!"

"I'm not going to hurt you, you're being difficult!" Mephisto growled, pushing her to land on her bottom in the water. She struggled against him as he straddled her, pushing away from him.

"As if I trust you not to hurt me!" Talia retaliated, fighting him off.

"If I wanted to hurt you, you'd be dead! Just trust me for once!" Mephisto hissed, and she jerked as she felt a wet cloth wiping at her eyes. She froze in place as the water rinsed her eyes and she began to regain her sight. It was all a blur, but she had stopped fighting him. He was careful and attentive, and she realized he honestly was trying to help her. His grip lessened as she calmed, and he she shivered at the way he grasped at her chin, holding her in place. She blinked back tears, from both embarrassment and the leftover irritation, but it was relieving quickly.

"Does it still hurt?" Mephisto's tone was gentler than she had ever heard, and she was almost unable to answer at the concern he seemed to have. The clearer her vision became, the better she could see it in his eyes; those hauntingly pure pools of jade that were almost unnatural in the way the pupils formed thin slits, thinning more as they focused on her own. She gave a light nod, and he dipped what she now recognized as his undershirt into the water before wiping at her eyes again. Her eyeliner was far gone, and she prayed she didn't look so horrid, not in front of him. She'd made a fool of herself already.

"Alright, any better?"

"Y-yeah." She looked around the pond, trying to lock her eyes with anything but him and oh, how she regretted it. If she looked down she got a face full of toned, creamy skin and if she looked up there were those eyes; those tortured, lonely eyes.

"Hey, look at me."

She trembled as his hand found her cheek and he held up a few fingers, "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"T-three?"

He grinned, and she flushed at the way those big, round eyes sparkled, "Right. Phew!" She watched him fall onto his butt in the pond, sighing, "That was scary. Don't freak me out like that, I thought you were going blind!"

Talia let out a dry laugh as she rinsed her hands in the water, trembling as the morning breeze found its way through the garden. She sniffed, walking out of the pond and onto land, heading back to the center of the garden. Her mind was slowly processing the way she reacted and how warm his hands felt against her skin. She found the bench she was looking for and sat, staring at the tree across from her. The flowers were large, a plum color with a vibrant red and gold center with cobalt specks. Her head pounded and goosebumps ran along her damp skin.

"Hey, where'd you go? Talia? Hey, I'm sorry! I didn't mean for you to get hurt..."

Talia ignored him, unsure of what to say to him. She reached upward, grabbing a full flower from the tree. She glared at the fruit, tears threatening to bubble over before she blinked them away.

"Here."

Mephisto flinched as she held it out to him. He took the blossom in his hand admiring it. It was a strange pattern, but one familiar to him.

"This looks like a deformed Zifrigon. Is this going to kill me?"

Talia let out a sigh as she sat down on the bench, "Of course not...That's a Tzipporah."

"A what-ah?"

"A Tzipporah. It was a gift from a friend of hers. A wedding gift actually. Zifrigons in Xeris were always too sour, and in Zaterra they had sweeter figs. So they bred these. My mother loved them. We all did."

"Oh...you should have it then." Mephisto frowned, holding it out to her.

"Why? So you can reject my apology?" Talia sneered, sharp eyes catching him off guard.

"No! No, I just meant this trees important to you. It feels wrong to..did you just say 'apology'?" Mephisto gaped, mouth hanging open in surprise.

"Look, I'm trying to be civil. This is...hard. I may or may not feel bad about yesterday…" Talia pouted, kicking at the grass with her bare feet. Mephisto looked thoughtfully before looking at the fruit. Since when was Princess Talia one to apologize? Let alone be nice to him? It was foreign to him, but he had at least another half of the year before his sentence was up. Iris had managed to convince the her mother's council to take pity on him and Praxina after they aided in saving Earth and Ephedia from Gramorr. A year and a half of hard labor was the minimum, but with their previous status as orphaned royals, and their change of heart, they got off easy. Sort of. They still had to find a solution to restoring Zaterra, which the council refused to aid in as a long standing punishment. Not only that, but both he and his sister would not regain their titles until their 20th birthdays; this would get the hard labor sentence off their back, since it would be considered an act of war against Zaterra. Praxina was to take the crown when their Aunt Ravenna relieved it, and he doubted Iris or Izira would want to invoke her wrath. He'd still be only a prince since his mother was, like himself, second born, but having a neutral relationship with the princesses could work on his favor later on.

Nodding to himself, he used his magic to slice the fruit in two before holding out half to the princess. She stiffened at the gesture.

He let out a sigh, "Half Xerin, half Zaterran, right?"

Talia looked taken aback at his comment, but took the half nonetheless. She was quiet, which he didn't like. It felt like he was being blocked out. He hated being ignored.

"Okay, hear me out and stop sulking."

"I am _not_ sulking!" She frowned, but her eyes remained straight ahead.

"Yeah, no, you're definitely sulking. We can't change what happened in the past. We just gotta move passed it. I'm doing what I need to do to get back to Zaterra and save my home. Out goals aren't very different."

Talia eyes him from the corner of her eye, "What are you getting at?"

"A friendship."

Talia gave him a deadpanned stare.

"Okay, a truce sounds more realistic."

"Obviously."

"I'm tired of fighting. I mean, don't get me wrong; I love crushing my enemies and blowing stuff up, but do that for a handful of years and it gets old. Can we at least try to find some common ground. Help each other get away from each other as soon as possible?" He grinned, and Talia flushed.

"So...you want to attempt a civil agreement?"

"Exactly!"

Talia let out a deep breath, "Fine. We'll...work on it. I suppose as a diplomatic figure we all must suffer a little bit in our duties."

"Hey! You know what, I want the fig back!"

"Too late, it's mine now." Talia smirked, finally sinking her teeth into the ripe fruit. She hummed with delight as the sweet juices pricked her tastebuds. It reminded her of her mother's hugs and her father's laughter, of family picnics and long forgotten songs. The warm trail of tears trickled down her cheeks and her eyes fluttered shut as the warm memories flew free.

Mephisto said nothing, opting to eat his half in silence. The fig was perfectly flavored, and he licked his lips as the ruby juice bursts from the fruit. It was unlike anything he'd tried back home, much more accustomed to the sweeter figs his father retrieved from the forest. He twirled the flower in his other hand, admiring the strange hues. He swallowed hard as she stood slowly, excusing herself.

"Mephisto?"

"Hm?"

"If you boil the leaves with ginger root and honey, it makes a really nice drink, hot or cold. Praxina might like it."

"Oh...thanks...Are..are you okay?" He stood, unsure of what else to say to her.

"I'm always okay."

He didn't berate her for pushing back her feelings. Or would only infuriate her. Backing off seemed more reasonable. As he watched her, he stiffened as his eyes widened. She looked miserable. Her hair was unkempt and curling from the spring water and her night gown created a ghostly spindle of sheer fabric, drenched and clinging to her shivering frame. He hadn't noticed it before. The frigid and strict posture, the distant stares, the quickness to anger. She was just as lost as we felt.

What do you do when you've lost dear friends? Your parents? Your kingdom? She was rebuilding herself; how long had she been fighting?

Had she always looked so fragile?

He sighed, setting down his things to ring out his clothes. He didn't really know her like he knew Iris and Auriana. He had know her just as long but felt he understood her less than Carissa and Lyna. There was something deep within that head of hers. He could feel it in the way she pulled him through the garden, like an excited child. Her familiarity with the place and they way she lit up just being there made her seem lively even. What does she have to hide?

Pushing his bangs back he looked to his chart, sitting and looking at it with new understanding. He reached for the last of his fig, only to connect with cool marble. He looked down in confusion. Had he finished it already? He was certain that...wait...is that bush moving?

He glared, creeping forward slowly before crouching and peering through the greenery. He gaped at the sight before him, unsure if he was seeing what he thought was there. Talia was _really_ not going to like this…

* * *

 _ **Now we're getting some progress. Maybe he can distract Talia from his newfound dilemma with his eyes XD we'll see how it goes...**_


End file.
